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Water Glass: An Introduction To The Famous Desiccant

Water glass, a common name that rightly describes the dominant compound sodium silicate in the market. Why is it a dominating compound? Well, this is the compound that seems to be quite prevalent in manufacturing units worldwide. It is a glassy solid that consists of sodium oxide and silica. It offers you the advantage of being soluble in water.

Water glass is widely available in both powders, syrupy liquids as well as solid lumps. Depending on its applications, the manufacturers invest in sodium silicate plant machinery for large-scale productions. From detergents to the pulp industry, you can find this water glass in almost every manufacturing sector.


About Sodium Silicate: Chemical Composition & Production

The chemical formula of water glass is (Na2O)x·(SiO2)y. It is typically made from roasting different quantities of soda ash and silica sand in the furnace at approximately 1,000 and 1,400 °C approximately. The roasting results in the formation of cullet.

Different techniques cool down the cullet and finally sell the compound either in powders or liquid form. The resulting lump or the groundwater glass goes through tremendous pressures and reactors to dissolve in hot water.

Depending on the ratio of the components, the solution exhibits different properties. For example, many manufacturers use spray-drying methods for highly viscous solutions.

In addition, it helps in the production of glass-like hydrated sodium silicate beads. Finally, the beads are available for commercial purposes as they dissolve faster than the anhydrous water glass.

Physical Properties

How can you identify water glass? Knowing the physical properties of the compound can help you to identify it successfully. It is colourless or white glassy or crystalline solids. The sodium silicates are highly soluble in water, except silicon-rich ones that can produce alkaline solutions. But the compound is highly stable both in neutral and alkaline forms.

The silicate ions react with the hydrogen ones in acidic solutions to form silicic acids. It then decomposes into hydrated silicon dioxide gel. Therefore, you can find it available in the market as a desiccant as it can force off the water. Moreover, it is capable of withstanding high temperatures till 1100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Who Uses Water Glass?

A sodium silicate or water glass is quite readily available in the market. It is prevalent in the manufacturing units like the paper industry, construction, cement, detergents, etc. In addition, you can find it in the wastewater plants where sodium silicate acts as the alum coagulant and iron flocculant.

The colloidal molecules instantly bind with the sodium silicate, thereby forming larger aggregates to fall to the bottom of the water column. Water glass can also create high-temperature, rigid insulation boards for refractories. It also acts as a sand binder in the iron or steel sand casting processes.

Utilising carbon dioxide within the mixture of sodium silicate and sand within the mould box causes instant hardening.

Did You Know?

You get such excellent benefits of water glass for your manufacturing units only when you get the right machinery. A reliable name that deserves a special mention here is none other than V.M. Enterprise. If you want to select the finest machinery to produce superior quality water glass, you need a trustworthy and experienced seller.

V.M. Enterprise has been in the business since 1972 and is a top supplier of sodium silicate plant machinery in India. The company is well-known for its outstanding quality, customer service, and incredible prices. Call to know more today to get your machinery at a fantastic price.

V.M. Enterprise is one of the reputed and reliable sodium silicate plant manufacturer and exporter in India. V.M. Enterprise are manufacturing of best quality sodium silicate conveyor system and Conveyor Chains.

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